Apple : Ruiz vs Joshua 2 live stream: how to watch today's boxing rematch online from anywhere |
- Ruiz vs Joshua 2 live stream: how to watch today's boxing rematch online from anywhere
- Is this the beginning of the end for The Elder Scrolls: Legends?
- Best photo printer 2020: the best printers for your digital photos
- Man City vs Man United live stream: how to watch Premier League 2019 football online from anywhere
- Apple could ditch the iPhone SE 2 name in favour of the iPhone 9
- Top Christmas gifts for PC gamers
- NordVPN is the gift that just keeps on giving - get 80% off and more with its VPN deal
- Motorola Razr 2020: what we want to see
- Will smart speakers restore our trust in the news, or break it?
- Google Assistant is about to get better at taking notes for you
- Windows 10 October 2018 Update users are being forced to upgrade – ready or not
- Best wireless printers of 2020: top picks for printing from your smartphone
| Ruiz vs Joshua 2 live stream: how to watch today's boxing rematch online from anywhere Posted: 07 Dec 2019 01:13 PM PST So what AJ are we going to see after the shock and humiliation of losing his crown to the unfancied Andy Ruiz Jr back in June? He's promising more focus, more intelligence, more fight - but will it be enough? We can't wait for this epic rematch to get started and, luckily, we don't have to much longer. We'll give you all the tools to watch a Ruiz vs Joshua 2 live stream, no matter where in the world you are today. The big question is whether the British fighter get revenge and reclaim his WBA, IBF and WBO world titles or can Ruiz Jr show the world his title win was no fluke? The fight is literally getting underway now so if you haven't got your live stream up and ready you're running out of time. Former Olympic champ Joshua had been making his US debut in the last encounter with Ruiz - and some may argue that the occasion at Madison Square Gardens got the better of him. Either way, it was a humbling defeat which saw the Watford-born boxer completely outfought by the unfancied challenger who laid him out on the canvas four times before the fight was eventually stopped in the seventh round. Ruiz Jr's doughy appearance was the butt of many a joke ahead of the first fight - but the Mexican fighter threw the barbs back in his critics faces with a masterclass in jabbing and lightning hand speed. Intriguingly Ruiz appears to have shed weight in the run up to this rematch, suggesting a change in tactics for the champ. Joshua will also likely adopt a different approach this time out, and will need to make his physical advantages in height (four inches) and reach (eight) count far more this time out. Joshua is set to bag the biggest ever pay day for a British boxer, with the 30-year-old set to pocket a staggering £66 million for Saturday's fight, but a defeat in Saudi Arabia will come at a bigger cost for the Brit as it will likely cost him his status as a top-tier heavyweight. It's a rematch no fight fan will want to miss, with an impressive undercard to match that features Dillian Whyte facing Mariusz Wach and Alexander Povetkin colliding with Michael Hunter on the same bill. Read on to see how to get a Ruiz vs Joshua live stream.
How to watch the Ruiz Jr vs Joshua fight from outside your countryIf you want to watch the boxing outside of your country you may find that the content is geo-restricted. That could mean that, despite having access when on home turf, you are blocked while away. Fret not, that can be rectified with the use of a clever piece of software called a VPN - better that than hunting for some dodgy, illegal stream on Reddit.
How to watch the AJ fight in the UK
How to live stream Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2 in the US
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How to live stream Ruiz vs Joshua 2: Australia stream
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| Is this the beginning of the end for The Elder Scrolls: Legends? Posted: 07 Dec 2019 10:53 AM PST This week hasn’t been kind to the genre. Earlier in the week, CD Projekt announced that as of December 9, it will “discontinue support of console versions of the game.” Is The Elder Scrolls: Legends officially dead? Well, no. Not yet anyway. However, Bethesda just recently announced that it will no longer be working on any new content for the competitive strategy card game. “We decided to put any new content development or releases on hold for the foreseeable future,” said Christian Van Hoose, TESL’s community manager, on the game’s subreddit. While this decision, according to PCGamer, doesn’t affect the Asia-specific version of the game, it does mean that the rest of the TESL community won’t be getting any new expansions, fresh content and future updates. That includes the upcoming full card pack expansion that was slated to come out before the end of the year. So, it could be the beginning of the end. That isn’t surprising. Though the game has been well-received, it has also struggled to reach the same level of mainstream success as Hearthstone and even Magic: The Gathering Arena. It’s also suffered a few setbacks, including the long-overdue release of its console ports, originally slated to arrive in 2018, and the criticisms its last expansion, Jaws of Oblivion, received.
TESL isn’t shutting down for goodWhile the news will prove disappointing to fans of the game, devoted and prospective TESL players alike need not worry about the game and its existing expansions. Van Hoose says that the game is still available for download and play on all existing platforms, and players can still compete online. In addition, Bethesda will continue to “support the game with monthly reward cards and regular in-game events” as well as “provide ongoing maintenance support.” Though for how long, we don’t have no idea. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best photo printer 2020: the best printers for your digital photos Posted: 07 Dec 2019 10:07 AM PST In this guide to the best photo printers of 2019, we look at the top devices for ensuring your photos look their best when you make physical copies of them. No matter if you're a professional photographer, or merely a keen amateur that likes to take holiday photos, you'll want the very best photo printer your budget can stretch to – and we're here to help. These days, there's a huge range of photo printers to choose from, so our best photo printers guide is here to make things more simple. We've picked the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to photo printers – from affordable desktop photo printers for everyday use, to expensive studio-quality professional photo printers and even wireless printers that can be used with a smartphone. The best photo printers come in every shape and size, from budget photo printers that are easy to use, portable devices and even professional-level photo printers. Fortunately, this means that no matter what you’re looking for, you should be able to find the best photo printer for your needs. Not only have we collected the very best photo printers for a huge range of budgets and use cases, our very own price comparison tool will also scour the internet for you and deliver the best prices.
Inkjet printers with refillable ink tanks have a distinct advantage when it comes to running costs and the Canon Pixma G6050 comes with enough ink for 7,700 colour pages or 18,000 in black and white. It’s a multifunction device which means there’s a scanner built in that can be used to make photocopies and although there’s no fax facility, it has Wi-Fi built in and an auto duplex mode. It prints photos slowly, but accurately and thanks to the excellent integration of the ink reservoirs you can print hundreds of them without having to fork out for new cartridges. Read the full review: Canon Pixma G6050
Despite its sleek dimensions, this smooth 3-in-1 inkjet device is able to print on A3-size paper and uses not four, but six inkjet cartridges to achieve superior colour accuracy. It means your ink costs are rather high, but it’s worth it for the beautifully shaded results. The scanner is only A4-size, but it makes very high resolution scans and combined with the high print resolution, you can make near identical colour copies. There’s no fax and print speeds are slow, but in all other respects, the Epson Expression Photo XP-970 is hard to beat. For an idea of its performance you can read our review of the almost identical Epson Expression Photo XP-960.
This A2-size print-only device will suit any business that needs to turn out professional quality large format colour documents. It uses Epson’s nine-colour UltraChrome HD inkset for lifelike colour shading, which come in high capacity 80ml cartridges. Add the paper roll option and this machine can handle high print runs, or turn out impressive panoramic posters. Unsurprisingly, it takes up quite a bit of room and the cost is high, although considerably lower that outsourcing your prints. Read the full review: Epson SureColor SC-P800
Canon has done well to cram all of the key features into this pleasingly compact 3-in-1 device. It can print, scan and copy up to A4-sized paper and handle envelopes, card and every kind of glossy photo paper. Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity is built in, the touchscreen interface is huge and there’s even a slot for an SD Card. The best thing about this printer, however, is its excellent print quality. The print resolution is a rich 9,600 x 2,400 dpi and it uses six inkjet cartridges, instead of the usual four, to achieve superior colour fidelity. Read the full review: Canon Pixma TS8050
It looks a little ungainly with the refillable ink tanks ruining the symmetry of this otherwise compact all-in-one, but it’s the refined EcoTank system that sets this model apart from the competition. If you can swallow the high price tag, your ongoing ink costs will be very low and Epson’s five-colour printing guarantees excellent image quality, especially with photos on photo paper. Read the full review: Epson EcoTank ET-7750
This humble all-in-one can scan and copy, but its real strength is in printing photos. Frustratingly, there’s no Ethernet port, or USB port for printing from a flash drive and it churns very slowly, but the results are surprisingly good for such an affordable inkjet. The supplied starter cartridges are rather light on ink, but if you replace them with high-capacity carts, then the running cost is competitive too.
Sitting at the top of Canon’s Pixma range, the TS9150 looks like a premium product as you might expect, with a giant touchscreen display nestling up-front. It also boasts a high-resolution printing and scanning and Canon’s excellent six-ink system. By using black pigment ink alongside dye-based colours, photographic prints look especially realistic.
Canon’s most affordable printer to include ink tanks instead of cartridges is a modest 4-in-1 that could work well in a small office that needs to run out lots of colour documents. It prints very slowly and cannot print on both sides of the page, but in all other respects, it holds up well. The cartridge-less system is very economical and the box includes enough ink for 6,000 mono and 7,000 colour pages. Read the full review: Canon Pixma G4510
By including an automatic document feeder (ADF) and a fax facility, this 4-in-1 device is aimed at the small, or home office. However, with separate pigment ink for printing black and white text and four more inkjet cartridges for colour, it happens to print very fine photographs very well. There’s also an SD card slot for camera users and inbuilt Wi-Fi enables cloud printing and remote smartphone control. Both printing and scanning is done at a fairly high resolution, which means you can make decent photocopies using the 20-sheet ADF. Read the full review: Canon Pixma TR8550
HP’s oddly shaped all-in-one includes every feature from a fax facility, to an SD card slot, while giving you easy access to them via a colourful touchscreen interface. The coloured inks are combined in one cartridge and if you subscribe to HP’s Instant Ink service, it will be automatically replaced just before you run out. It feels a little flimsy, but photos prints in particular, look vibrant.
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| Man City vs Man United live stream: how to watch Premier League 2019 football online from anywhere Posted: 07 Dec 2019 07:16 AM PST With both teams getting back on track with morale-boosting victories in the week, things are teed up nicely for a fascinating Manchester derby on Saturday. And you can watch every minute - no matter where on Earth you are - by following our Man City vs Man United live stream guide. City dispatched Burnley in emphatic style with a 4-1 win at Turf Moor, while arguably more impressive was United's dismantling of a buoyant Spurs on Jose Mourinho's return to Old Trafford on Wednesday. Despite the huge win, the pressure still remains on struggling Reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær. A victory against United's neighbours would likely put to bed growing calls for his sacking from demanding fans. While Paul Pogba remains on the sidelines, Man United look set to have improved options upfront with Anthony Martial back in contention for a staring spot after sitting out the win against Spurs. With City currently sitting third in the Premier League table, three points behind second-placed Leicester and 11 points adrift of leaders Liverpool and United cut adrift from the Champions League spots in sixth, neither side will be settling for a draw. Two-goal hero Gabriel Jesus looked back to his best against Burnley and will continue up front for City in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero, who also welcome back Ilkay Gundogan from suspension. Watch all the drama unfold as it happens with our Man City vs Man United live stream guide below. To find out how to watch the rest of the season's games, check out our guide on how to live stream the 19/20 Premier League football season.
Use a VPN to watch Premier League football from outside your countryIf you're abroad this weekend but still want to watch your home coverage, you'll need a VPN to do so. That's because your normal coverage will be geo-blocked. It's really easy to do and stops you having to tune in to some dodgy stream you've heard about on Reddit.
How to stream Man City vs Man United live in the UK
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| Apple could ditch the iPhone SE 2 name in favour of the iPhone 9 Posted: 07 Dec 2019 06:30 AM PST It's been a long wait for the successor to the iPhone SE, which launched in 2016 and is no longer available directly from Apple – but it now seems very likely that a 2020 follow-up is planned, and perhaps under a new name. Japanese blog Macotakara, which has had a decent record with Apple predictions in the past, cites an insider source as saying the new budget iPhone will be called the iPhone 9, not the iPhone SE 2. The iPhone 9 moniker is certainly available – remember in 2017, Apple needed a successor to the iPhone 7 phones, as well as something to mark the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, so we got the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.
If Macotakara's source is correct, the iPhone 9 name will be used at last, three years later. It will also better position the phone as the successor to the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which are currently the cheapest iPhones Apple sells directly. Small and cheapThe selling points of the iPhone SE were obvious: it was small (with a titchy 4-inch screen), and it was cheap (starting at $399 / £379 / AU$679). Those characteristics look set to be carried over into its successor. The iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9 is apparently going to come with the same A13 Bionic processor inside the latest iPhone 11 range – that matches up with the original phone, which had speedy internals, even if the exterior is dated. We're also hearing that the same $399 price point is going to be hit, so this is a phone to keep an eye on if you're keen on all the goodness that iOS has to offer but don't want to pay top prices for it. With so many rumors now pointing to a launch for the iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 9 during the first part of 2020, it would now be a surprise if it didn't appear in the next few months – but we'll have to wait and see what naming system Apple goes for. Via 9to5Mac This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Top Christmas gifts for PC gamers Posted: 07 Dec 2019 06:00 AM PST If you have a PC gamer in your life and you're looking to get them the perfect Holiday gift, it can be hard to find something that they actually want. However, here at TechRadar, we're not only big PC gamers, but we're tech experts that get to play with all the new hotness as it hits the streets. So, now that the Holidays are rapidly approaching, we thought it would be the perfect time to gather up all the best PC gaming toys that will light up a PC gamer's little RGB heart. We covered the entire PC gaming landscape, including everything from gaming keyboards and mice to graphics cards and even gaming laptops. So, no matter the scale of your holidays this year, we can help you find the perfect gift for the PC gamer in your life.
Over the years, there's been a bit of a stigma when it comes to wireless mice in the PC gaming space. There's always been a bit of latency, let alone the higher asking prices. However, the Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed does away with all the negatives, providing an excellent wireless gaming mouse with no compromises. Battery life is there, low latency is there and the price tag is there – if you're going to get the PC gamer in your life a new mouse, this is probably the one to go for. Read our full review: Razer Basilisk X Hyperspeed
Here at TechRadar, we go through dozens of keyboards a year – maybe even hundreds. So, when we say that the Roccat Vulcan 122 Aimo is one of the only ones to really stand out, it's worth taking note. This is hands-down one of the most comfortable keyboards we've ever typed on, to the point where we basically refuse to play games or even write without it. Now, the custom Titan switches and brushed aluminum are all well and good, but just be aware that it is an expensive keyboard. But, trust us when we say that its totally worth it. Read the full review: Roccat Vulcan 122 Aimo
You simply can't have PC gaming without a graphics card, and that's why a great GPU makes for an excellent Christmas gift for PC gamers. However, if you're not well-versed in the PC components, it's hard to find the best one. But, we can just tell you that for most people, it's going to be the AMD Radeon RX 5700. Not only is this graphics card affordable, but it will have no problem tackling pretty much any PC game at 1440p max settings. If the PC gamer in your life has been waiting for a graphics card upgrade, this is the perfect one to go for. Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 5700
For years gaming headsets have been super masculine, with these dark and edgy designs that were simply off putting to anyone whose favorite movie isn't the Matrix. However, gaming peripherals have been evolving, and we've found the Razer Kraken Kitty edition. Initially, we were simply taken with the aesthetic, but after using it for a while, we've found that it's one of the best-performing gaming headsets we've used. And, while it's priced a bit on the high-end for a wired gaming headset, the aesthetic, comfort and performance make it a perfect Christmas gift for any PC gamer on your list. Read the full review: Razer Kraken Kitty Edition
Anyone that spends a lot of time sitting and playing the best PC games is going to need a comfy gaming chair to sit in, and if you ask us, there isn't one that's more comfortable than the SecretLab Omega. This chair was already excellent, but it's been improved even further for 2020, and now it's one of the most durable chairs on the market. It's a bit expensive, but it's still within the realm of reason, and it will last forever.
If you want to get the most luxurious PC gaming Christmas gift out there, we saved the best for last. The latest Razer Blade not only is a powerful gaming laptop, but it's a stylish one at that. This is the kind of laptop you'll feel absolutely no shame in carrying around to coffee shops, but will still be able to play the latest and greatest PC games. The way we here at TechRadar like to think of this laptop is "a MacBook for gaming," and that's never been more true than with this model. Read our full review: Razer Blade This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| NordVPN is the gift that just keeps on giving - get 80% off and more with its VPN deal Posted: 07 Dec 2019 05:09 AM PST The likes of Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be over but that's not going to stop one of the largest VPN providers from continuing the sale spirit. And the provider's current VPN deal is definitely one of the best out there . Not only are you getting a ridiculous 80% off, but it's also thrown in three months extra and a FREE NordPass password manager (which has an RRP of $194.61). Click here to get NordVPN's Winter VPN deal An added bonus of this deal is that the offer is on the three years deal which means your next This may seem like a big sum to pay upfront, but this is for three years which means you'd only be paying the equivalent of $3.49 or £2.82 a month. If you've got any questions or need more information on this awesome VPN deal, keep reading as we explain it in full.
Read more about this stellar VPN deal:Is NordVPN a good VPN provider?In one word - yes! We rank it in our top 10, which given all the thorough tests and analysing we do on VPN services, is pretty ace position to sit in. If you're concerned about privacy, NordVPN has a very strict zero-logging policy, meaning your privacy is secure and not only does it unblock Netflix but BBC iPlayer too. It also boasts a very speedy customer support so all you queries can be instantly resolved, an effective kill switch (ideal for anyone concerned with security). Then there is the added bonus of the price - NordVPN is one of the cheapest VPN providers out there, especially now with this Winter VPN deal. Plus you can have up to six simultaneous connections on one account - which is perfect for anyone trying to save. But it is worth noting that in October NordVPN revealed that it suffered a hack which breached its cybersecurity credentials. However, it has taken significant steps to correct this, which is why we still rank it so highly and are confident in recommending its service. If you want more information about this just keep scrolling down. Still want to know more? Our in-depth NordVPN review goes into every nook and cranny. What is the NordVPN breach?In October 2019, NordVPN announced that the provider had suffered a hack which breached it's security. This hack dates back to 2018, and rather shook the sector when it came to the surface. When it was unveiled, NordVPN announced it was taking clear steps to tighten things up, including working with cybersecurity consulting firm VerSprite and completing a full-scale third-party independent security audit next year. If you want further information on this hack, make sure you check out our NordVPN data breach news story. And if cybersecurity is your main reason for getting a VPN, why not read our most secure VPN provider guide.
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| Motorola Razr 2020: what we want to see Posted: 07 Dec 2019 05:00 AM PST One of the few foldable phones to launch in 2019 was the Motorola Razr 2019, modeled after the Razr flip phones of old, and it seems a successor is in the works: the Motorola Razr 2020 (or the Motorola Razr 2 as it might be called) could be out in the coming year. The Motorola Razr 2019 was a novel device, bringing the nostalgia-inducing flip phone form factor to the modern day. But it had its issues for sure, with some problems we'd like to see fixed in a newer device. That's why we've compiled this list of things we'd like to see in the Motorola Razr 2020, as well as having collected everything we've heard about the upcoming foldable phone so far. Cut to the chase
Motorola Razr 2020 price and availability
If we were to speculate, we'd suggest the Motorola Razr 2020 launch date will be around mid-November 2020, followed by a release date by the end of the year. There's no concrete reason for that timeline save for the fact it would mirror the Motorola Razr 2019's schedule. We could see the Motorola Razr 2020 earlier in 2020, possibly at MWC 2020 in February, but that would be a little early given it would result in the device being purchasable just a few months after the original. Since many phone companies work in year-long cycles, we'd expect late-2020 to be a good estimate. There's no word on the Motorola Razr 2 pricing yet, but the original cost $1,500 / €1599 (around £1,350, AU$2,000) upon release. Depending on the changes Motorola makes, the newer device could be cheaper, pricier, or cost exactly the same. For the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 though, it seems Samsung is gearing up to release a supremely affordable device compared to the original Fold, and it's certainly possible that Motorola will follow those footsteps. Leaks, rumors and newsSo far, there are two rumors we've heard surrounding the Motorola Razr 2020, or Motorola Razr 2, as we've heard it referred to.
The first is that the upcoming foldable phone could have eight sensors along the side of the device, allowing you to use gestures and access shortcuts whether the phone is open or closed. This comes from a patent, which also seems to suggest the device will have an in-screen fingerprint scanner, as opposed to the physical one present in the Razr 2019.
The second rumor, also from a patent, suggests the Motorola Razr 2020 will be moddable, much like the Moto Z series. The patent shows a camera mod clipped onto the top of the Motorola Razr 2, as well as another mod attached at the fold, although we don't know what the latter does. It's worth noting that patents don't always get developed into released products, so there's no guarantee these features will make it into the Razr 2020, but Motorola is clearly at least toying with them. As we get more pieces of information about the Motorola Razr 2020 we'll update this section. What we want to seeThis is what we want to see in the Motorola Razr 2020, including new features and fixes to problems in the original device. 1. A more affordable price tag
You'll encounter arguably the biggest issue with the Motorola Razr 2019 before you've even switched it on – the price tag is prohibitively high. At $1,500 (about £1,350, AU$2,000), you're paying a lot more for it than most other smartphones, save other foldables. Sure, the Razr 2019 is among the most affordable foldable phones, but it's still not within the budgets of most people. We'd like to see the Motorola Razr 2020 price go below $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,500, and perhaps even lower, so more people get a chance to try out foldable technology. 2. An improved processor
The Motorola Razr 2020 needs a decent processor if it's going to be considered an impressive top-end smartphone – or even deserving of a high price tag. The Razr 2019 had a Snapdragon 710, which is a fine mid-range chipset, but in top-end phones (for high prices) you'd expect something a little better. With the Snapdragon 865 out, and previous iterations of Qualcomm's advanced 8-series chipset also available, there's no reason Motorola couldn't go for a processor that's a little snappier to power its future foldable phone. 3. A higher-quality screen
The Motorola Razr 2019 had a 2,142 x 876 pOLED screen, which was fine, but it wasn't particularly sharp, and you could notice its low quality when streaming video or playing games. Like with the chipset, we'd expect a pricey device to have top-end screen specs. We'd like something higher-quality in the Motorola Razr 2: if not an AMOLED screen, at least something with a higher resolution. In addition, we found the screen size of the Razr 2019 a little on the small side, which was useful for ease of one-handed use, but a little sub-par for streaming movies and TV. A slightly bigger device, perhaps a Razr 2020 Plus, would be much appreciated if it brought a larger display. 4. A larger camera array
The Motorola Razr 2020, like all top-end modern smartphones, really needs a decent camera array – the Razr 2019 didn't have that, and it suffered for it. Aside from its 5MP selfie camera, the Razr 2019 had a single 16MP lens, which was on the back when the device was unfolded and front-facing when you shut the phone. This resolution is okay, but there's a lot of functionality you're missing out on, like ultra-wide field of view shots or zoomed-in telephotography. If the Motorola Razr 2020 had a few more lenses, possibly multiple on the back and an improved front-facing snapper for when the device is open, its photographic potential would really open up.
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| Will smart speakers restore our trust in the news, or break it? Posted: 07 Dec 2019 03:00 AM PST Have you spoken to a gadget today? There’s a good chance that have, with the number of voice-activated smart speakers and AI tasks rapidly growing as manufacturers and developers seek to cash in on the popularity of voice assistants like Alexa. When you can control gadgets, summon your favorite tunes, get a weather forecast and more simply by uttering a few words, why wouldn’t you? But when it comes to the news, especially in a media landscape in which there are growing concerns about misinformation in the form of ‘fake news’ – and with fact-checking processes by Facebook falling into disrepute – there’s an ongoing debate about what impact the increasing use of voice interfaces to access news will have. While Siri was perhaps the first well-known voice assistant – and provided the inspiration for Spike Jonze’s Oscar-winning movie Her – Siri’s successors, Alexa and Google Assistant, have proved far more popular for and capable of delivering the news at our command. In October, we saw BBC News launch an Alexa-specific news service in a bid to engage with listeners through the popular voice assistant, with a mix of dedicated reporting and repurposed information from the BBC’s other editorial channels. (If you want to try it, just ask Alexa, “Give me BBC News”.) To get our head around how voice search is changing the way news is accessed and distributed, and the possible consequences, we reached out to a number of figures working at the heart of digital news production and distribution.
The BBC is jumping on board with smart assistants like Alexa, but what does it mean for reporting? Making the most of voice searchWe spoke to Mukul Devichand, executive editor at BBC Voice + AI, about the reasoning behind the British broadcaster’s dedicated Alexa news service, and what it meant for the dissemination of news in the future. “Our journey has just begun on this,” said Devichand, calling the current Alexa service “the first iteration” in a much larger roadmap. “It’s pretty clear to me as a long-time producer and editor, that the way we tell stories should be revisited with each great shift in the internet. “The growth of AI assistants has the potential to significantly disrupt the way we get information. Assistants offer an obvious and easy way to ask questions, which could be really transformative. What’s easier than just saying ‘tell me what’s going on’, or ‘did Brexit happen yet’, or ‘did Arsenal win the game,’ or ‘I don’t really understand why there’s a war in Syria’, to an assistant? So we may end up doing that instead of just tapping our phones.”
The convenience of voice commands is fuelling demand for smart home hardware like the Google Home. With smart speakers becoming fixtures in millions of homes worldwide, it’s imperative that news broadcasters cater to the new medium, in the same way they’ve adapted to scrolling news feeds and a generation accustomed to getting updates on demand through Twitter, Facebook, and Google News on their smartphones, rather than from the scheduled TV bulletins the BBC and other major broadcasters around the globe built their reputations on. Devichand also acknowledges the changes and challenges that come with new methods of accessing information, suggesting that people today have an “expectation of 24/7 currency, and a genuine desire for interaction and depth on demand – with a great deal of confusion and mistrust given the way news is manipulated online”. Why mistrust? “When algorithms or AI guide us to pieces of content, the dangers of misinformation, echo chambers and a polarized society are very real and present,” he explains. The danger of self-curationFake news is a big concern these days, whether it’s outright lies being thoughtlessly retweeted or news outlets distorting facts for the sake of a good story that readers will click on – with Facebook’s laid-back attitude towards misleading political ads proving highly controversial in the run-up to another election. The danger with voice search specifically is that, given the short and digestible snippets that Alexa and other smart assistants tend to provide, users could be getting an incomplete or overly simplistic picture of the day’s events, and perhaps seeing just one side of the story.
Compass News was a news aggregation app on iOS and Android. We talked to Matilde Giglio, an investor at venture capital firm Hambro Perks and a founder of Compass News, a news aggregation service that was founded with the aim of breaking news readers out of the echo chamber. Giglio sees voice search as a natural way of accessing news, even if it tends to take information out of its original context. “Voice is seen rightly by publishers as a great opportunity to reach demographics that don't always tune into the news,” says Giglio. “The podcast boom shows how people love audio. Young people especially are turning away from mainstream sources, and they love the on-demand nature of voice that fits in with their daily routines. “But publishers fear that they are losing control over their content when it's repackaged or curated to suit voice on demand, as with Alexa. The content also becomes separated from the publisher's own platform, and their brand risks becoming diluted.”
Voice commands in action through SkyQ. Giglio thinks there are opportunities for voice assistant developers to gain the trust of publishers, and the BBC News Alexa service may well be the start of a healthier relationship between news sources and the companies distributing their content. BBC Voice + AI’s Mukul Devichand certainly thinks so, arguing that the service is a way to channel users back towards a trusted news platform, rather than giving them more leeway to dismiss sections of coverage: “There’s been some comment since we launched the service, saying it could perpetuate echo chambers by giving people more control, but in fact it’s the opposite here – once they ask ‘Give Me BBC News’ they remain within a BBC experience that aims to be impartial and wide-ranging, and that’s the difference.” Convenience at all costsAs much as we value the convenience of a voice-based interface, or the immediacy of content funneled to us through various online channels, the ease with which we can share and receive information is the biggest obstacle to quality assurance, or basic fact-checking of what we hear and read. Devichand speaks of the appeal of “conversational AI”, and some broadcasters and outlets may be taking steps in the right direction by gaining control of their editorial presence. However, if we’re more interested in the convenience of having a conversation with AI than it being an accurate one, that may make getting the truth into our homes increasingly harder.
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| Google Assistant is about to get better at taking notes for you Posted: 07 Dec 2019 02:30 AM PST Google is pushing out more updates for Google Assistant, this time around note taking: the Assistant is adding better support for creating lists and notes, and will more closely integrate with third-party apps as well. Support for apps including Google Keep, Any.do, AnyList and or Bring! is rolling out now, Google says, so you'll be better able to keep on top of everything you need to do during the busy festive season. And these new integrations are going to be available across Google Assistant on phones, smart speakers, and smart displays, so pretty much everywhere you can already get at Google's little digital helper.
As per Google's instructions, you need to head to the Services tab in your Google Assistant settings and then choose the right app from the Notes and Lists section, assuming it's already installed somewhere on your phone. Making a list, checking it twiceCommands like "create a holiday gift list", "add cranberries to my grocery list" and "take a note" will work, according to Google, though feel free to experiment – the Assistant is getting better and better at recognizing spoken words. And if you thought that Google Assistant could already take notes and work on lists for you... well, you're right, sort of. These notes and lists just haven't been very well integrated in any other services, such as Google Keep. With the new integrations, it should be much easier to stay on top of what needs to get done or what needs to be bought, no matter what note-taking or to do list app you prefer. Let's hope support for a few more apps arrives in the future. Google suggests a few more ways you might want to make use of Assistant over the holidays as well: assigning reminders to specific family members for example, or discovering podcasts on topics linked to the Christmas season. Here's how the new Ambient Mode for Google Assistant works
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| Windows 10 October 2018 Update users are being forced to upgrade – ready or not Posted: 07 Dec 2019 01:59 AM PST Microsoft has begun the process of herding those still running the Windows 10 October 2018 Update into upgrading to the most recent November 2019 Update. The same thing has already happened to those running the April 2018 Update, and that previous forced upgrade scheme kicked off in July (instigating automatic upgrades to the May 2019 Update, which of course was the most recent version of Windows 10 at the time).
So this is the second time Microsoft has wielded an upgrade cattle prod, effectively, and the reason for doing so is security – because the end of service date for the update in question is on the horizon. Users must therefore upgrade, or face missing out on vital security patches. However, the timeframe in which Microsoft is pushing these mandatory upgrades is well in advance of what the company initially announced. The official stance remains that the rollout process will be started “several months in advance of the end of service date to provide adequate time for a smooth update process”. Which is fair enough, but the end of support deadline for the October 2018 Update is May 12, 2020, so that’s actually still over five months away – a little more than ‘several months’ in our books. Slow startMind you, as ZDNet reports, Microsoft did say that it will “slowly start the phased process”, so it’s likely that initially, not all that many folks will be given the shove to upgrade to the November 2019 Update. However, in a couple of months’ time, we are likely to witness the same scenario as we did with the May 2019 Update, when it suddenly started getting massive adoption, almost all of it coming from users running the update which was hitting end of service (in that case, the April 2018 Update). So in short, expect a flood of upgraders coming across to the latest November 2019 Update early on next year. The October 2018 Update was famously stormy, as you may well recall, and a lot of people weren’t given the upgrade as a result, skipping straight from the April 2018 Update to the May 2019 Update. In the last AdDuplex stats we saw on what versions of Windows 10 people are running, around 25% of users remain on the October 2018 Update.
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| Best wireless printers of 2020: top picks for printing from your smartphone Posted: 06 Dec 2019 02:50 PM PST If you're looking for the best wireless printers of 2019, you've come to the right place. In this guide we look at the top versatile wireless printers that allow you to set them up pretty much anywhere in your office or home - as long as you can get a decent Wi-Fi signal. With the best wireless printers, you don't just have the freedom to install them almost anywhere without having to worry about trailing cables throughout the building - it also means you can connect wireless devices like smartphones and tablets and print from them. This means they are far better suited to modern life, where many of us use these devices for working on. Of course, by being connected to your network - albeit wirelessly - these printers benefit from advanced network features as well. So, every PC on your network can print to them, making them ideal for businesses, and many allow you to scan and email documents directly from the wireless printer itself. So, read on to find out our choice of the best wireless printers money can buy, and thanks to our very own price comparison tool, you'll also get the best prices.
Canon’s compact small-in-one hides a wealth of features from a fax, to a 20-sheet automatic document feeder. It’s exceptionally well connected too with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in, so that you can quickly connect a mobile device and print or scan using the excellent companion app. Printing and scanning via the cloud has never been so simple and photos look satisfyingly vivid with Canon’s five-cartridge system.
With all the functionality a small business could need, this feature-packed inkjet can do anything from sending a fax, to saving a scan to the cloud. Most surprisingly, given its A4-size footprint, is its ability to print on A3 paper. Wi-Fi is built in and Brother’s companion iOS/Android app makes wireless printing a breeze. It prints clearly in monochrome, while colour photos look quite vibrant on photo paper. The touchscreen is rather small and it’s not as fast as a laser printer, but it strikes a good balance between performance and features.
If you have the space for it, this multifunction device will serve a small business well thanks to its consistently crisp print quality, useful 35-sheet automatic document feeder and automated photocopying skills. With both Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity built in, it makes mobile printing via the excellent HP mobile app especially easy. This is a mono machine and it’s not the fastest laser on the block, but it’s quicker than any inkjet and offers an attractive blend of features and performance.
Despite being the worlds smallest A3 laser printer, this groundbreaking device is loaded with features including Wi-Fi and NFC wireless connectivity. It’s small enough to sit on a desk and yet, big enough to hold 300 sheets of A3 paper in its main paper tray. It can even accept rolls of banner paper 1.3 meters long via a rear input slot. As you might expect from a laser printer with LED technology, its fast and economical to run, if a little expensive to buy. With such consistently high print quality, however, that price is fully justified.
This satisfyingly small and attractively designed all-in-one inkjet offers everything you are likely to need in your home office. It can print and scan at a high enough resolution to provide crisp and accurate colour photocopies using five inkjet cartridges instead of the usual four. The extra one is a pigment black, for more durable mono prints. It’s also blessed with a touchscreen interface and not only Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity, but Bluetooth as well.
Duplex A3 printing is not something many affordable inkjet printers can manage, but this capable device does it well and it can hold a whole ream of paper in its dual paper trays. It also boasts Wi-Fi Direct and NFC connectivity for making a quick wireless connection and printing via your smartphone. It’s a pity the supplied Epson Durabright startup ink cartridges are rather limiting, but when you switch to XL capacity replacements it becomes more economical to run. It certainly has a high capacity for paper with room for a whole ream on board.
Brother has endowed this hefty laser printer with all the features a small business might need. It can hold 300 sheets of paper and turn out mono or colour pages at the rate of 31 per minute. There’s a fax facility and electronic document feed for automated tasks. It also makes wireless printing from a mobile device, or scanning documents to the cloud very easy using its built in Wi-Fi and a slick iOS/Android companion app. Both Google Cloud Cloud and AirPrint are covered.
Laser printers tend to be a lot larger than their inkjet cousins, but HP has turned that on its head with this toaster-sized device. It can only print single-side mono pages, but it can do it more quickly and economically than most inkjets and it’s small enough to carry around with you. You can connect via Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi direct for wireless printing via AirPrint, or Google Cloud Print. The slick iOS/Android app by HP can help you with this.
At less than £40 (around $52), this three-in-one printer is something of a steal. Of course the catch comes with the relatively high price of the inkjet cartridges, but if you take out HP’s Instant Ink subscription, even this cost drops. The printer itself is rather flimsy, but it’s well kitted out with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Direct built in for easy wireless access via the rather good HP companion app.
Epson’s conveniently compact three-in-one printer includes useful features like an SD Card slot, duplex printing and Wi-Fi Direct (as well as Wi-Fi) at a very reasonable price point. Expensive inkjet cartridges make it uneconomical for the busy office, but for occasional use, this is a very easy and reliable wireless printer that can turn out black and white pages surprisingly quickly.
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